DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone Gets Official With Longer Flight Times And Upgraded 4K Camera

After numerous leaks, the DJI Mavic Air 2 went official today with the company saying that the drone was a reimagining of the experience of aerial creativity. DJI promises that the Mavic Air 2 is the safest and easiest-to-flying consumer drone it has produced so far.

The camera sensor used is a one-half-inch unit supporting 48-megapixel still photos and 4K video recording at 60 fps and 128 Mbps. The video recording also supports HDR video and 4x slow motion in 1080p at 120 fps or 8x slow motion in 1080p at 240 fps. In addition to the 48-megapixel still images, users can also choose to record images in other resolutions.

The camera is mounted on a mechanical three-axis gimbal that helps compensate for camera shake creating smooth and stable footage. The drone has several photography modes to help improve images and be more creative, including SmartPhoto that records 12-megapixel photos using advanced scene analysis and deep learning, giving the camera the ability to choose one of three image capture options automatically.

With HDR photos, the drone can capture seven varying exposures of the same photograph, merge them, and create a single, highly dynamic image. Hyperlite is designed for low-light scenarios and takes multiple photos and combines them to bring out a clear picture with less noise typical of low-light scenes. The camera also supports Scene Recognition to recognize five categories of scenes, including sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and trees to optimize settings to give the photograph the highest degree of color, detail, and tones.

The drone can fly for up to 34 minutes per charge, with a range of 10 km. OcuSync 2.0 technology supports 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequency bands with the ability to auto-switch between them based on signal strength. DJI integrates a geo-fencing solution to keep drones away from high-risk locations like airports. The drone features Advanced Pilot Assistance System 3.0 to avoid obstacles. The ingoing coronavirus pandemic is making the availability of the DJI Mavic Air 2 scarce in many areas; it is launching in China today with other regions accepting preorders starting today. Shipments in the U.S. are expected to be mid-May starting at $799 for the basic package or $988 for the Fly More option. The full details of the drone can be seen here, which line up with the leak from earlier this week.